29. Bittersweet

Chapter 29

Bittersweet

Vanessa

W aking up in a different room felt different.

Because, this time, when I opened my eyes, I realized instantly that I wasn't alone. I knew that the second I felt their hands on me, easing my fears that I had been too late.

Too late for my goodbye.

The one I had planned that didn't just include my betraying them. That didn't end with me stealing from them and breaking the curse. But the one where I gave myself a bittersweet ending. A memory in which I could take with me. Like a crumbled picture in a wallet that brought as much comfort as it did pain.

One I knew only they could give me.

"Hey, here she is," Talon said, his voice a calming presence and soothing balm for my ragged soul.

"Where am I?" I asked as I took in the space and found I was in some kind of bedroom suite. A very masculine bedroom suite at that. The place was dark, and not from the lack of light.

The walls were gray, the floors were laid with dark wood that almost looked black, and the ceiling had arched beams of the same dark wood. As for the furnishings, mirrored black cabinets stood on thin gold feet, with the same long handles to match. Small tables were of the same design along with a sideboard that held a heavy gothic mirror above.

There wasn't a rug in this room, and nothing screamed welcoming other than the two Vampires. But more specifically, I wasn't just in the room, I was in fact lying on a sofa. No guessing needed for what the color was. Jeez, what was it with these guys and black?

As I tried to sit up, I realized that my head hadn't been on a hard pillow like I thought but actually in Victor's lap. He had been stroking my hair back and that was the feeling that had roused me enough to wake. Talon had a drink in hand and was walking toward us, at the same time I felt Victor help me upright.

"Easy, baby." His tender tone behind me made me wish I could just melt right back into him.

"You're home," Talon stated as he passed me the glass, the amber liquid swirling seductively around a couple of metal ice cubes.

I took a sniff and felt my nose wrinkle, making him chuckle. I was purposely ignoring the way he said, ‘you're home' that implied I now lived here.

"What is it?" I asked, focusing instead on the drink.

"Something that will help wake you up," Talon told me, that mischievous grin playing havoc with my girly insides.

I pulled an unconvinced expression before he nodded down at it, making me put it to my lips and take a tentative sip. It was strong, whatever it was, making me whistle air through my teeth before coughing, telling him,

"It's not apple schnapps, that's for damn sure."

Victor chuckled behind me as he rubbed circles on my back when I started coughing.

"But you're awake, right?" Talon pointed out, making me laugh and comment,

"Yeah, but I bet you could bring back the dead with this stuff."

"Yes, well before you ask, we do have a heartbeat," Victor commented dryly, making me chuckle before turning to face him.

"And like garlic?"

His lips twitched and he said, "We even eat our vegetables."

Again, I couldn't help but laugh, a sight he seemed to like the look of.

"Although you come at me with a bowl of sprouts, and I am biting someone," Talon added, pulling a disgusted face, and it was such a surreal moment, that I couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles. Were we really all sitting here talking about sprouts?

"Well, I prefer that to tears," Victor said, taking the glass from me and putting it down on the small round table next to him.

"I will second that," Talon said, and it was enough to sober me as I thought back to earlier.

"Did I pass out?" I asked when Talon came to sit down next to me, his look was unreadable as he glanced at his brother. I heard him sigh, making me turn to face Victor as he suggested,

"Best not thinking about it."

"I will take that as a yes then," I guessed, trying to chase the memory of what happened. I know I had been crying but I couldn't remember what it was that I had said to them.

"All we ask is for you to trust us to care for you," Victor told me, a statement that had me tensing next to him but before he could say more, I admitted quietly,

"I wish I could."

I felt my hand taken in his and just like he had done that first night in the coffee shop, he kissed the inside of my wrist. Of course, now I knew why… my blood.

"Then we simply ask for the time it will take for you to do so," he replied and when I winced, it was from what I knew and what they didn't.

Time was one thing I didn't have.

"So where am I?" I asked, changing the subject, something Victor allowed to happen, letting it go for now, along with my hand.

"Our estate in Millbrook," Talon replied, making my eyes widen because this must have been the place the bitch fortune teller had told me about. In fact, I would have liked to have had a name to go with the word bitch. The name of the woman who had ruined my life for a second time, and adding to my misery that my asshole ex had caused. Speaking of which.

"And my… erm ex, did he…?"

"Survive… yes, unfortunately," Talon answered as Victor was too busy growling next to me. The relief, despite my hatred for the dickhead was heard in my sigh.

"Is that a common thing between Vampires or just something that you two do?" I asked, deciding to be brave enough to ask questions. Something up until now I hadn't done before. Victor frowned while Talon smirked.

"You mean the sounds of displeasure, murderous rage, or hunger for sexy little peaches? Yes, it's something all Vampires do," he replied, making Victor scoff.

"Okkkay, good to know, I guess," I said shyly, looking down at my lap, fidgeting with my zipper. This didn't last long because Victor entwined his fingers with mine, holding my hand like a lover would.

"I can imagine you have a lot of questions, Nessa," he said, causing me look up into his gorgeous brown eyes, easily getting lost in them and making me blurt out,

"You have beautiful eyes."

Shame instantly hit when Talon started laughing, only it took me a moment to realize it wasn't at me.

"Fuck me, Brother, but are you blushing?" my head snapped back to Victor to find his cheeks were slightly pinkish, making him bark back,

"Of course not!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you," I said, prompting him to give me a soft look in return. His scowl was obviously only reserved for his brother, who hadn't got the hint to stop laughing yet.

"You didn't, Sweetheart. I am pleased you like my eyes, especially over those of my brother's," he said in retaliation, making Talon growl before taking me by the shoulders and forcing me to look at him.

"And what of mine, Peach? Come on now, don't tell me that mine aren't better than those boring soulless eyes of my brother."

I laughed at this, and teased by saying,

"Meh."

He looked horrified while Victor burst out laughing, going so far as slapping his thigh in his hilarity. But then I told him,

"I am joking, Talon, you have beautiful eyes too."

However, the second I said this, I didn't get the reaction I was expecting because the look he gave me was smoldering. An intense gaze that was quickly followed by action, making me squeak in shock as he tagged the back of my neck and pulled me forward, soon demanding,

"Say that again."

"You have beautiful eyes?" I repeated in question, making him smirk a little before telling me in a deeper voice,

"My name, Sweetheart, say my name."

I sucked in a quick breath as I realized why it meant something to him. Because I didn't think I had ever spoken his name before. So, I decided, if this was really going to be my last night here, then I was going to be brave enough to take it with both hands… literally.

So, I reached up to his lips, doing so on my own accord, and framing his face with my palms. Then I whispered his name over his lips.

"Talon."

The reaction was what I hoped for because he gripped me by the tops of my arms and kissed me. A kiss I easily melted into. His hands turned tender as they caressed their way across my back, enveloping me into his arms. Then he pulled back enough to tell me,

"Call me, Tal."

Then he winked at me, and I quickly burst out laughing. His grin mirrored my own as I continued to laugh only inches from his face. After this I felt his brother sliding closer, taking the back of my neck in his hold, turning my face to his, telling me,

"And I'm Victor, remember me?"

His smirk was just as infectious as his brother's, making me realize they were teasing me. Something that ended with me then kissing Victor and moaning into his mouth at how delicious it felt. However, when he pulled back, I asked playfully,

"Let me guess, I get to call you Vic?"

"Master Victor is fine," he replied, making me laugh again and shake my head.

"Jesus, he jokes now… what are you doing to my brother, Pet?" Tal asked in a teasing tone.

I looked back at him, and this time I was the one to wink.

I couldn't believe that it could be like this between the three of us, having not yet experienced this side of the brothers before. In fact, it was almost too cruel, and I had to get a handle on my emotions before I gave way to tears again. Because despite wanting to take this bittersweetness away with me as a memory, there was also that punishing part of me that kept telling myself that it wasn't real. That they didn't really feel this way.

It was all part of the curse.

To the point that expecting anything physical from them almost felt wrong. Like I didn't deserve it. Like it was immoral. But then their hands would be on me once more and I felt myself falling deeper under the same spell. This inner turmoil ended with a cry of shock as I was suddenly lifted into Tal's lap. A position that put me in such a way where I was now straddling him. Once there, and he had my face close to his, he told me,

"Don't want to lose your smiles, beautiful."

Again, I almost melted because they made doing the right thing here nearly impossible. Especially when he started kissing me again, something that I didn't have the strength in me to resist.

"Mmm, whiskey never tasted so good," he hummed, licking his lips once he had finished, making me ask,

"Was that what that was?"

He didn't answer me, but instead Victor reached for the glass and took a long swig before stating,

"My turn."

He stood up and leaned over, pulling my hair back enough so I turned his way. Then he kissed me, and the taste of whiskey was one I savored off his tongue.

"Right again, Brother," Victor agreed once he pulled back. After which, I soon found myself being plucked from Tal's lap and picked up into Victor's arms.

"Where are we going?" I asked in a breathless tone.

"Time to take this party to the bedroom."

My heart started to race because I knew what that meant. My mind was still torn in two, between what was right and what was so deliciously wrong. But as he walked me from the living space and up a few steps through an arch way, I notice Tal following us from behind. However, this wasn't all I noticed…

My eyes widened the second we made it inside, only my eyes didn't home in on the huge bed there.

No, this time…

They landed on the dagger.